Ballinlough 0-02-10 (14) St.Brigids 0-03-12 (18)

Ballinlough and St.Brigids met on a dry but cool Sunday morning for the first round game of the Tailteann Cup and it was a very experimental Ballinlough side that just fell short in the end, with three players making their Adult debut for the club and a new recent recruit who also got some game time in the red jersey, so well done to Luke Harte, Dan O’Brien, Robert O’Brien and Ryan Kellett.

Ballinlough opened the scoring with a Harry Ryan point from play before St.Brigids hit back with a pointed free from Cormac Brown who was very in-form today.

Points were traded once more by the eighth minute with Harry Ryan accurate for Ballinlough and Ivan Smyth getting St.Brigids first score from play.

Sean Tunney pointed Ballinlough in front with an Advanced Mark in the 12th minute, but from there the home side took control of proceedings with Dylan Scully, Cormac Brown(2) and Conor Russell all pointing in a six-minute spell to leave the Brigids leading by three points in the 21st minute.

A Ballinlough free gave them an opportunity to get scoring again but with the ball dropped short they were to be punished for their error as St. Brigids worked the ball up the field, earning themselves a free outside the Arc, and with Cormac Brown firing on all cylinders he fired over a lovely two point free in the 23rd minute to leave five points between the sides.

All three of Ballinloughs debutants had a hand in their next score when Robert O’Brien put in an excellent block at corner back and came away with the ball, before finding Luke Harte who carried the ball forward and played a nice ball into Dan O’Brien who did well to pick out Harry Ryan as he then fired over in the 25th minute.

That score was followed up swiftly from another of Ballinlough’s more senior players today with Oisin McDermott landing a nice score, and Ballinlough had a chance to wipe out the deficit two minutes later when Dan O’Brien found himself one and one with the Keeper, but the St.Brigids net-minder did well to keep out the young attackers goal effort.

A couple of stray shots for Ballinlough towards the end of the half ensured they still trailed on the scoreboard, but Shane Lynch did finally make one stick with a tidy point in the 30th minute.

With that score Referee Gabriel Patterson blew the half time whistle, Ballinlough two points down on a scoreline of 0-06 to St. Brigid’s 0-08.

From the restart Eoin Briody won possession of the throw in and worked it quickly to Oisin McDermott, who played an excellent ball into Dan O’Brien and the young man got his adult scoring account up and running with a lovely point in the 31st minute.

Exactly like the first half, St.Brigids hit back with a pointed free to restore their two-point lead in the 33rd minute and they followed that up with another Cormac Brown point from play in the 41st minute.

Ballinlough responded well with Oisin McDermott landing a superb two point from play in the 43rd minute, and wonderful strength from Eoin Briody in midfield saw him hold onto the ball, despite having a couple of Brigids men hanging out of him, and from there he found Jack Connell who chipped over a point in the 45th minute to level the sides.

Momentum should have been with Ballinlough at this stage, but it was the home team who kicked themselves back into gear and re-took the lead with five points without reply from Cormac Brown(two pointer), Jack Blake, Cian Blake, and David Gibney all accurate from play.

Ballinlough responded with a Harry Ryan free in the 53rd minute before Kit Óg Lynch showed a flash of his exquisite skill when he sent over a beautiful two pointer to leave two between the sides once again.

St.Brigids hit back with that man Brown again as he landed another two pointer to his collection from the placed ball in the 58th minute, and while Harry Ryan added a final free to his tally for Ballinlough, it was St.Brigids, and once again Cormac Brown who took the final score with a point from play in the 63rd minute.

So, when Referee Gabriel Patterson blew the full-time whistle there was four points between the sides on a scoreline of Ballinlough 0-14 to St.Brigids 0-18.

While the win wasn’t secured this afternoon there was plenty of game time got into plenty of legs and some much-needed adult game experience for some young lads just starting out.

Next up for Ballinlough is an away game v Carnaross in two week's time.

Ballinlough: A.Gibney, C.Lynch, J.Lynch, R.O'Brien, J. Connell (0-01), O.McDermott (0-03(one 2pt)), L.Harte, H.Ryan (0-05(2f)), E.Briody, B.Brunton, S.Tunney (0-01(1 Ad Mk), F.Gibney, K.Óg Lynch (0-02(one 2pt)), S.Lynch( 0-01), D.O’Brien (0-01)

Subs: N.McDonnell for S.Tunney H/T, R.Kellett for R.O’Brien 34’, R.Smith for S.Lynch 37’, C.Ryan for D.O’Brien 58’

Referee: Gabriel Patterson

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